His site has a page listing all of the “Polar Express” events in Chicago.

Sullivan says more than 60 local places use the “Polar Express” name for their events.

Nationwide, he says there are probably thousands more.

“It’s about money,” Sullivan said.

“This is wrong. They should have really thought this through. They picked the worst time of the year to do this.”

For its part, Warner Bros. said in a statement that it wants to work with event planners to reach a deal that would allow them to use the “Polar Express” name.

“We cherish the fact that fans and families around the country consider both The Polar Express film and book a part of their holiday tradition. Through our partner, Rail Events, we are able to extend this holiday experience with themed train rides based on the film and story. We are hopeful that we will be able to work with the park districts to transition their events to our official partner. In the spirit of the season, we are happy to allow this year’s previously planned events to move forward full steam ahead.”

That would likely involve paying licensing fees–something that many public organizations would not be able to afford.